Servette FC wants to demonstrate its maturity at La Tuilière

The advantage of a derby in Lausanne, for Servette, is that it hardly leaves time for questions to nibble at people’s minds. On time (2:15 p.m.) to enter the Tuilière carpet on Sunday, escorted by wagons of supporters (read below)the former Super League leader will have already placed in the archives the draw conceded Thursday evening against Lucerne (2-2).

This sharing of points has, however, crystallized many questions and hopes, regarding the capacity of Servette FC to assume its status as (co) favorite for the title of champion. A role that he has not finished bringing into play, starting this Sunday during the second Lake Geneva derby of the season.

Read the editorial: Going to Lausanne is a nice school run, right?

“We have to put things into perspective, place things in the process of a championship,” immediately tempers Lionel Pizzinat, Grenat team manager. There, there is a little disappointment because we were first in the ranking after a magnificent victory and we are no longer there after this draw (editor’s note: on goal difference). But if we had taken a point in Zurich and beaten Lucerne instead of the other way around, everyone would have been happy.”

“A little annoying”

No one is angry there, especially not Thomas Häberli. “It doesn’t matter, it’s still October,” smiled the Geneva coach, asked Thursday evening about the loss of the Super League throne. A bit like a Tour star happy to give up the weight of the yellow jersey before the mountain.

Théo Magnin spoke of a “slightly infuriating” verdict. “If I think back to when Lucerne put the second (editor’s note: 1-2 at 77^e)it’s a point won. But overall, these are two points lost. After the 1-0, we were confident and normally, when you lead at home, you have to fold the match.

Servette did not do it. Not enough to dramatize a pleasant situation: the team remains undefeated for seven games in the league (four wins, three draws). But we may be putting our finger on the last stage of the rocket, the one that leads to the very top.

These lost points during matches that the Garnet dominate, as was also the case with weak Grasshoppers (2-2 on September 21) or the asphyxiated Saint-Gallois (1-1 on October 6), these are often the points which differentiate a champion from his runner-up.

Executives assume

“We still can’t hope to win all our matches in such a tough and balanced championship,” responds Lionel Pizzinat. We can always look for the little beast when we don’t win. But I prefer to remember that we have been undefeated for seven matches, with two very well controlled derbies and a great victory in Zurich.

A new success, on the grounds of a Lausanne-Sport which has finally taken off and remains on three victories without conceding a single goal, would undoubtedly reinforce the certainties which are taking shape. Last spring’s Servette FC, which had stalled in the league when the possibility of a league title was emerging, then triumphed in the Cup, has inevitably gained in maturity. But how much?

“Would last season’s Servette have managed to equalize after Lucerne’s 1-2? I’m not sure, explains Lionel Pizzinat. I have the feeling, having lived alongside the group for a long time, that the managers are taking on more and more responsibilities and leading others. The team is essentially the same, but the players behave differently. The coach also sends messages about match management and improving all the details.”

“The team is mature”

Jérémy Frick, at the club since 2016, measures the progress made in recent months. “In the run-up to the matches, we learned to be more conquerors,” observes the man who shares the Garnet net with Joël Mall. You never know what can happen in football, but we are sure of what we have to do on the pitch, there is no doubt. We feel that the team is mature, even if we are never safe from a hole. The better we know each other, the easier it is to manage all situations. But conversely, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of routine.”

Quite a few certainties in the trunk and some potential flaws; thus Servette advances to challenge a vengeful Lausanne-Sport at La Tuilière – the Vaudois had been beaten 1-0 at La Praille on September 28. A good place and time to demonstrate strength and character.

A priori, there are now: “I have always tried to push others so as not to be the only loudmouth on the team,” continues Jérémy Frick. Since last season, there are more and more people who take their responsibilities, on the field and in the locker room, and who feel like saying things when necessary.

“A slightly special rival”

The young Théo Magnin is one of those who are learning, his face in tune: “If we want to stay at the top, we will have to win as many matches as possible and there, what’s more, it’s a derby, salivate whoever could play on Sunday at the left side position. It’s always been different, as a poster. Even among young people, Lausanne was a somewhat special rival, if only because we know each other well. We will be keen to give everything, to win this match through sweat and show that we are the best team in French-speaking Switzerland.”

Before imposing it on an entire country? “There is the discourse we have towards the outside world and the one we have internally,” adds Lionel Pizzinat, faithful to the general policy of the club, as soon as it comes to (not) talking about titles. . Apart from the very great ones, no one goes into the fall claiming that they will be champions in the spring. The goal is to go as high as possible and I think we have the means to do so.”

A victory in Lausanne would give weight to the message, a defeat would put a little weight in its wings. It’s a long time, a championship.

They will be 1500 behind the Grenat at La Tuilière

Loïc Lüscher, communications manager for Servette FC, is categorical. Of the eleven trips that the Super League offers to Geneva supporters, the one that leads to Lausanne remains by far the most popular. Proximity, tradition and antagonism oblige. On Sunday, some 1,500 garnet supporters will line the spans of the Tuilière, as is now the case on every trip.

The few thousand tickets in the parking lot reserved for visitors were easily sold by Servette FC. Several hundred other spectators from the end of the lake are expected to provide colorful and acoustic reinforcement. Lausanne-Sport logically suggests that they target sectors C1 and C2, adjacent to the ultras pit. In short, more than enough to heat up one of the four corners of the stadium.

Given the incentive context and the form of the two teams, will La Tuilière go so far as to display an exciting “closed ticket office”? “We are not safe from stocking up, if people get a little angry between now and Sunday,” hoped Friday afternoon Vincent Steinmann, vice-president of the LS. The bar of 8,000 tickets sold had just fallen, out of a total of 12,500.

Record to beat

A five-figure attendance is therefore expected, which could constitute a new record. Of the five Lake Geneva derbies contested so far in the new Lausanne venue, two of which were weighed down by Covid, the most followed was that of November 28, 2021 (3-0 for Servette), in front of 10,037 souls. That of December 9 (1-1) attracted 9,237 spectators. And attracted its share of various excesses between supporters of the two camps and the police.

“All measures are put in place in order to be able to manage things as best as possible and avoid clashes,” says Vincent Steinmann. I dare to hope that the extreme tension which reigned between the ultras last time will have subsided. That day, there was a lot of intensity on the pitch and in the stands. This Sunday, we all want to attend a football celebration, in a beautiful atmosphere.” May the Servettians contribute worthily to this, eleven as well as 1500.

Simon Meier began his career as a sports journalist in 2000 at the newspaper Le Temps before becoming head of the section. In 2013, he joined the sports editorial staff of Le Matin and Le Matin Dimanche then joined that of Sport-Center for the various titles of Tamedia and 20 minutes.More info

Did you find an error? Please report it to us.

2 comments